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Hugs. I think what you are doing is very hard. So try to be easy on yourself. I can't really speak from experience because I didn't go back to work that early, but the first few months for me were really hard too and my LO was over 1 year old.

How old is your LO? I felt like things started to hit their groove for us when my first was 8-9 months. It just kind of takes a while to figure things out and it was around 9 months that my son dropped one of his late feedings and got on a more predictable 2 nap schedule. Until then, he was eating more often and his sleep was unpredictable, so I never knew what to expect each day and I had less time to do things.

Can you do 3/4 time? Like go to work everyday but leave 2 hours early or do 4 days a week? I think part of the difficulty is your baby is still young so they seem so small and helpless but once they get a little older and more interactive you will be able to have more quality interaction in the short amount of time you have together. If you can't go down from full time I would strongly suggest getting a housecleaner. Even once a month will make you feel so much better and not feel like you are spending all of your weekends cleaning.

It does but doesn't. It is still a battle some nights for us. My DH travels so I am solo too. She is going to bed later now, so it helps since it gives us more time together during the week.

After she goes to bed I try and get laundry and other stuff done around the house. This way when DH is home on the weekends we can spend as much time together as we can. He still has yard work to do, but he likes it, so we aren't going to hire someone for that. We have a cleaning lady which is 100% worth it.

During the week, while you put LO down to sleep, can DH run to Target/grocery, other errands? If I could leave my house at night (after she is asleep), it would make the weekends so much less busy. Sometimes after I pick up LO, we go to Target and get it over with it for the week. She loves going and then we go grab dinner together. Yeah it takes up most of that night, but it helps a ton. She is still hanging with Mom so she is happy.

My job wouldn't allow part time so I have to make it work. It helps knowing that she is thriving at day care and has a blast every day.

Hugs. How old is LO? Is he sleeping at night? Is DH helping or do you feel like you're managing everything by yourself?

I don't think there is a magic date for when it gets better, but it does get a whole lot better. Being a working parent has really taught me to figure out what is important - spend my time there, and I've become really efficient at everything else. Talk to other working moms at your company and in your friend group to understand their best tips and tricks to balance it all.

A few things that help me:
- Having a husband that is an equal partner and helps out at home
- On Sundays I layout clothes for the week for LO (and sometimes for me)
- I meal plan
- When I cook, I make enough to have leftovers and if possible, I double whatever I'm making and freeze half.
- I have a shopping list app that syncs with my husband's phone. I keep a running list of everything we need, which saves time because we don't forget things at the store.
- I order as much as possible online (Amazon Prime)! so I don't spend time running errands.
- Occassionaly I run errands during lunch.
- Our washing machine has a delay start feature - so I can set the washer to be done when I get home from work, so I can put laundry in the dryer, and fold all before bedtime.

The decision to work or stay home is deeply personal. If you are struggling with your decision, I'd set a date in the future (1 month, 3 months, etc) and re-evaluate.

How old is your LO? Honestly, once they start sleeping better and have a more predictable routine, it gets a lot easier. For me that transition began around 8 or 9 months. Hang in there.

It started getting WAY better for us once DS started walking and was on the move 24/7. We knew at that point he was so much better off in daycare with friends and activities than home with us or a nanny.

Some tips: hire a cleaning service, grocery shop after dinner during the week, do laundry during the week, take one day off every month or two to spend with LO, meal plan like crazy, make crock pot meals, frozen pizza once a week and when you cook at night always make something extra for LO's lunch like mac n cheese or steamed veggies.

Honestly these things have all completely saved our sanity because now there are no errands/chores on the weekend. I also shop during my lunch break for everything possible and do tons of online ordering.

Hugs! It definitely gets better. Months 3-6 were the absolute worst for me. At around the 6 month mark, both DH and I felt like we could finally handle things without drowning (it helps that she finally started sleeping a little better at that point). By 9ish months, we still felt like we were always busy but everything was pretty much rote so it was easier. By 12 months (after I was able to stop pumping and prepping bottles all the time), everything was much simpler. Now that LO's a toddler, it's really not that hard (I mean, parenting is always a challenge, but we're generally on top of chores, etc.).

Honestly, it sounds like you are doing a great job. These early days seem endless but there really is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I feel your pain! I remember those days, and we weren't both at work until LO was 1!

My husband always did help a ton, and still does. I used to get groceries on my lunch break. Now if I can swing it, I leave work early on Fridays (usually possible about once a month) and get groceries, make a Costco run, clean the house, wash may car, go for a run, whatever. My sister used to come over and clean for me. She would also run some errands for me too.

It will get better. Take it easy on yourself. Ask for help from a friend. Bow out of weekend plans that you're not enthusiastic about. Minimize your cleaning. Set aside even just a couple hours once a week to your son and you'll feel better.

Good luck!

@MrsTal: It got way better for me after the one year mark. At that age, I wasn't packing bottles any more I was just packing 1 water sippy and 1 milk sippy (which many parents leave at daycare for teachers to refill as needed, but I like to wash my sippies each night).

We also pack her breakfast, lunch, and snacks because of her dairy intolerance but once I got into the habit of packing her lunch while I prepared dinner, it became pretty seamless--and DH is totally responsible for her breakfast and snack. He chooses to wake up early and make it/pack it each morning while I get ready for work, because LO and I leave before he does.

I second having an involved partner--my husband really supports me working, so he does 50% (honestly, more now that I'm pregnant again) of everything in the house--cleaning, LO care, laundry. And he also works long hours. Luckily, he's an energetic, hands on kinda guy.

Packing her daycare foods used to be this huge chore we would leave till after LO went to bed every night--and by that time, we were so tired we both resented doing it. Now, I prepare dinner before DH is even home from work and I pack her lunch and sippies then and don't think about it the rest of the night---DH does it each morning and doesn't think about it the rest of the day. Somehow, it makes it seem like a smaller job.

Not sure if that makes sense. Also, I don't know if you BF and pump, but once we switched to hemp milk when LO was 13 months, I felt like I had SO much more time--no pump parts to clean, etc.

It's always a struggle, but I think eventually you adjust to a new normal. Like others have said, if it's possible, could you go down to 4 days a week? I know that would eliminate a lot of the stress Im feeling (but it's not possible in this current job/financial situation).

@MrsTal: Oh I know it's not easy! I'm a super OCD/clean freak so it irks me to no end that I can't spend the time I do cleaning/organizing like I did before. When I "let go", it's usually when I'm just too exhausted to care haha!